Pickup trucks and vehicles having open cargo compartments are used extensively for transporting purposes. Apparatus have been developed to organize the cargo space and to minimize the motion of transported articles located therein during periods of transit. Such transported articles often need to be protected from inclement weather so covering the cargo compartment becomes important. When many different articles are being transported at the same time, segregating the articles is also an important consideration.
During certain types of transport, it is desirable to include a storage container in the rear of a pickup truck. The storage compartment serves to retain tools, and other items, so as to allow the user of the pickup truck to have access to such tools at the desired destination. Unfortunately, conventional tool boxes, in the back of pickup trucks, are often positioned in an extremely poor location. For example, some tool boxes are located in the bed of the of the pickup truck such that the operator is required to bend over the side wall of the vehicle in order to reach into the tool box and lift the tools from the tool box. Back strain can often occur from efforts to lift tools from the bed of the pickup truck. It is often difficult to look over the side wall of the pickup truck so as to inspect the variety of tools which reside in the tool box. Many tool boxes have been provided which successfully contain tools, but also reduce the amount of space in the cargo area of the pickup truck. Normally, the tool boxes of such pickup trucks must be locked so as to prevent theft. As a result, when the vehicle reaches the destination, a great deal of effort is taken so as to unlock the various tool boxes on the back of the pickup truck.
It has often been found that the wheel well of the pickup truck minimizes the amount of space that can be available for the receipt of tool boxes. Tool boxes have not been designed so as to accommodate the intruding presence of the wheel well.
Various patents have issued in the past which have described various types of tool boxes, organizers, and compartments for use on the back of pickup trucks.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,624, issued on Jun. 26, 1990, describes a tool box assembly for installation in pickup trucks. A pair of tool boxes are pivotally mounted in an enclosed frame for movement between an access position and a secured position. The movement of the tool boxes is driven by a hydraulic system. In the access position, the tool boxes are supported in an open position above the side wall of the truck. In the secured position, the tool boxes are enclosed completely by the frame which does not extend above the side walls of the truck. As the boxes are raised, the lids are automatically opened. When the boxes are lowered, the lids are closed and locked in a closed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,365, issued on May 9, 1978 to D. J. Johnson, describes a portable storage apparatus which is provided in conjunction with foldable camping trailers. This apparatus is suitable for mounting at an eye level or at an overhead position between a countertop and the ceiling of a trailer. The extended frame is provided to as to raise and lower the storage apparatus in a mechanical fashion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,195, issued on Dec. 6, 1988 to N. R. Fletcher, U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,242, issued on May 16, 1989 to C. N. Painter, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,305, issued on Jul. 4, 1989 to J. W. McKneely, teach movable tool boxes for trucks. Each of these tool boxes are placed in a stationary position in the interior of the bed of the pickup truck. These tool boxes are arranged so as to be contained in a position that allows access above the side of the truck. In general, these devices are simply boxes which are configured to fit on the interior of the pickup truck.
French Patent No. 2,623,759, issued to M. Arriaza, teaches a hydraulically powered display unit that is presented in a vertical position at the side of the vehicle. A hydraulic piston-and-cylinder arrangement is provided on the floor of the vehicle and is fastened to a side of the display. Upon activation, the display will raise from the floor of the vehicle into an upright position along a side of the vehicle.
The present inventor is the owner of U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,969, issued on Apr. 19, 1994. This patent describes a storage device for a bed of a pickup truck having a body with a storage area therein. This storage device has a body with a storage area therein and a door affixed thereto. The door allows access to the storage area. A fluid-activated lifting mechanism is attached to the body at opposite ends of the body. The lifting mechanism serves to move the body from a first position in juxtaposition to the bed of the truck and a second position above the side wall of the truck. The door is positioned above the side wall in the second position. The body has an indentation formed therein for extending over the wheel well of the truck. The body is positioned adjacent the side wall of the pickup truck such that the door is interposed between the body and the side wall in the first position. The lift mechanism includes a first hydraulic cylinder affixed to a first end of the body and a second hydraulic cylinder affixed to a second end of the body. A hydraulic actuator is connected to the first and second hydraulic cylinders so as to move the body between the first and second positions.
One of the problems associated with the actual development of the product associated with U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,969 was the difficulty associated with the use of hydraulics. In particular, hydraulics can be very messy if any leaks in the hydraulic connection should occur. Additionally, the mechanisms for driving the hydraulics associated with the system of this prior patent were relatively expensive. Maintenance proved to be a continual difficulty. Additionally, purchasers of such storage containers would find that despite proper sealing techniques, leaks in hoses, equipment, pumps and other components of the system would create an aesthetically unappealing product.
So as to overcome the problems associated with hydraulics, various mechanical mechanisms were investigated. With any mechanical mechanisms, it was important to provide a suitable motor drive and suitable mechanical linkages so that the tool box could be lifted from its stowed position to its elevated position. In any event, the lifting mechanism should have the capability of lifting in excess of 400 pounds.
Scissor lift mechanisms have been known in the past. The most common type of scissor lift mechanism is associated with the jack of a vehicle. A shaft extends between a pair of scissors and is mechanically rotated with a wrench or other device. The continual rotation of the shaft will draw one scissor toward the other scissor and, hence, lift a top plate relative to a bottom plate. Unfortunately, an excessive number of rotations of the shaft are required so as to provide the necessary lifting capability. Additionally, the force required to lift the scissor mechanism from its lowermost position would be exceedingly great when a load, such as the storage device, is placed thereon. As such, any scissor lift mechanism would have to accommodate the requirements for compact stowage, maximum lifting capability and relatively quick lifting capability. The size and expense of the lifting equipment would have to be minimized as much as possible.
In the past various U.S. patents have issued relative to scissor lift devices. For example U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,462, issued on Jan. 15, 1974 to Coad et al., describes a scissor lift having upper and lower platforms which is actuated by a cable reeved so as to pull the ends of the scissor together in its extended position and also reeved about a cam roller interposed between the arms and working toward the pivotal connection during the portion of the motion in which the lift begins to extend. U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,115, issued on Oct. 22, 1974 to Di Fulvio et al., describes an elevator apparatus for raising and lowering a platform. A lift mechanism, movable along a path parallel to the platform path, is coupled to the platform through an elongated member pivotally connected to the lift mechanism. The elongated member detachably engages the platform at two points, one on each side of the member, such that the pivoting movement of the member is restricted and that a lifting force can be transmitted therethrough from the lift mechanism to the platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,345, issued on Jul. 5, 1983 to J. N. Paul, describes an elevatable scaffold. The lift assembly includes a series of elongated structural assemblies each pivoted at one end and the middle thereof to some other structural assembly in the series. A cable passes substantially parallel with some of the structural assemblies and between the ends of mutually pivoted structural assemblies. A winch assembly is mounted on the base and receives the other end of the cable wound thereon so that the operation of the winch effects elevating of the platform by winding the cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,544, issued on Aug. 13, 1985 to C. Heide, describes a lift having a platform and a scissors jack that is attached to the bottom of the platform. One pair of the parallel scissoring legs of the jack is firmly articulated with the platform and the other pair of the scissoring legs is attached to a shaft that travels parallel to the bottom of the platform. Roller are mounted on a rigid axle and the axle is engaged by two chains that wrap around the chain wheels rigidly attached to the shaft and which are connected to a transverse beam.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,203, issued on Nov. 22, 1994 to C. E. Huffman, describes a lift mechanism with a scissor-like stabilizer mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,209, issued on Mar. 7, 1995 to Busse et al., describes palletizer having a scissor lift assembly for moving the supporting member relative to the base. A motor has an output shaft which is connected to the scissor structure such that the supporting member moves upwardly at a generally constant velocity in response to the rotation of the output shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,060, issued on Apr. 2, 2002 to C. W. Cherry, describes another type of low profile lift assembly. This apparatus has lift platform which accommodates a manufactured product on a support surface and elevationally lifts the manufactured product to a vertical level or elevation. The apparatus also has a base adapted to rest on the floor with the lift platform interconnected to the base for movement between the raised and lowered positions.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/0139618, published on Oct. 3, 2002, describes a device for maintaining parallelism between a base structure and a movable structure. There is provided opposed pairs of pivoting arms which are synchronized by a timing device which links an arm with the arm opposite to it and ensures that these arms move the same distance but in opposite directions.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a toolbox that can move vertically in the bed of a pickup truck.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a toolbox that conveniently fits over the wheel well of the bed of the pickup truck.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a toolbox that is generally theft proof in its lowered position.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a toolbox for pickup trucks that can be remotely operated from the interior of the pickup truck or at a location exterior of the pickup truck.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a toolbox that can be raised to an eye level position along the sidewall of a pickup truck.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a toolbox assembly, which prevents rocks, and other items from the bed of the pickup truck, from residing beneath the toolbox.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a toolbox that is easy to manipulate, easy to use, convenient, and relatively inexpensive.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a lift mechanism which generates maximum lifting capacity in a very small and low profile device.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a lift device for the tool box of a vehicle which avoids the use of hydraulic mechanisms.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.